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[Treatment] Amitriptyline
#51
RE: Amitriptyline
(03-03-2014, 07:55 PM)comatose Wrote: I have lost count of the amount of people over the years that I have suggested to go to see an osteopath and/or a bowen therapist to remedy various muscular/skeletal problems, including headaches, they mostly have had much much much more help than they ever did from a pill, and very often cured.

I tried osteopaths and chiropractors.

I do agree that hydration helps, and I avoid sugar in those drinks.

I have lived in many places and many climates.

I didn't ignore what you wrote, I just had nothing to add to it.

Another thing that might help is those routines where you systematically stress and relax muscles.

For me, though, none of that worked or works as well as CPAP therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sedatives.

Quote:The first thing I can see is that what you all are doing is not working

I'm sorry if what I wrote gave you that impression. It's not the case.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#52
RE: Amitriptyline
What sleepster said.

With the addon that, as I am sure you probably experienced, when one has a chronic condition, one hears all sorts of "this worked for me" stuff. And I've heard a lot. Like Sleepster, if I were to list all the stuff I have tried or discussed with my doctor and determined is not an option for me due to other reasons, it would be a long list.

And medication is not the only thing I am doing. I have a neck brace called the Head Master. I have a really cool headrest on my chair. I meditate. Etc etc.

Like I said, it would be a long list.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#53
RE: Amitriptyline
(03-03-2014, 07:55 PM)comatose Wrote: I find it interesting that the 3 of you have had headaches for such a long time, and want to find a way to get rid of the pain, yet I briefly explained my headaches and the remedy that worked for me and none of you responded in any way to my post?

Have any of you done anything other than take pills for your headaches?

The first thing I can see is that what you all are doing is not working, why, because the drugs you are taking are only masking the problem and you will likely never rid yourselves of headaches.
Have any of you read the clinical studies on the drugs that you use? If you haven't please do so, what you will find is that they don't actually know, completely, how or why they work. What they do know is that these drugs ARE detrimental to both your physical and mental health. Your doctors know that these drugs have a masking effect and only give them to you for that purpose, why, because he/she doesn't know why you are having headaches, so how the hell can he/she help you remedy the actual problem? Painkillers should only be given to you to alleviate your pain until your body repairs itself, if it can.

Nearly ALL headaches are caused by "REFERRED PAIN" from the neck, EVEN if you have no pain in the neck.

Here is one of the many papers about this http://www.jaoa.org/content/105/4_suppl/16S.full

I have lost count of the amount of people over the years that I have suggested to go to see an osteopath and/or a bowen therapist to remedy various muscular/skeletal problems, including headaches, they mostly have had much much much more help than they ever did from a pill, and very often cured.

Please, do some reading/research and try something else, flogging a dead horse will get you all nowhere.

good luck and good health

Comatose, I am sorry I never replied to your last post. I thought you were more or less commenting to Sleepster and I didn't like to jump in.
I have suffered chronic tension headaches from age of twelve on and off until I turned thirty and since thirty, virtually every day until now, (thirty years).
Please believe me when I tell you, we have tried nearly every treatment known to man and some. I have been chasing the elusive cure for the best part of my life.
I have tried all of the natural therapies including Osteo, Bowen, Chiros, Physios., Botox I have seen the best neurologist in Australia. I have tried every drug, potion, machine. I have gone cold turkey. I have been to rehab clinics. You name it I have done it.
So with all due respect, I do thank you for your help. I read your link, and it is full of valuable information. Most of it I have been through at one time or another during my long life.
At the moment I take an anti depressant for various reasons, which I think is also helping my head pain, I also take an epileptic med. for my head pain but I still live with daily pain. All I can say is I know if I stopped these two meds my pain would go through the roof.
All I take to help relieve my pain is Paracetamol.
I have just found out Botulism is finally available on the PBS scheme. I tried that many years ago. I had two sessions and that has been one of the few things that has ever given me relief from my constant daily pain. Sadly it was too expensive to keep up a continued supply. I know it is a controversial drug but if I am able to get some relief in my later years, I am hopping on board the Botox wagon.
Thank you for your concern and I am really pleased you have had success with your head pain. I hope for your sake it stays away.

Sleep Tight...
Gabby
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#54
RE: Amitriptyline
It's intriguing to read how a bunch of symptoms other than poor sleep show up so frequently among the apnea cohort - depression, fatigue, anxiety, chronic pain, coronary disease ...

Me too, and I have been through the mill with doctors and specialists before being spat out of the system rather worse for wear - but none the wiser.

Of all the issues I face, the only one that has been definitively diagnosed is my sleep apnea. The rest, apart from (maybe) the heart disease, could all be blamed on sleep deprivation. CPAP has successfully brought my AHI within 'acceptable limits', yet it has not helped the other issues in the slightest. In fact, I feel less refreshed each morning than I did pre-treatment. Going further, I would say that my overall health postCPAP is worse, particularly the chronic pain and fatigue.

Which leads me to think that:

1) Sleep apnea and the consequent sleep deprivation has profound effects on our wellbeing generally, but ...
2) CPAP, while lowering AHI, does NOT necessarily produce restful, reinvigorating sleep.

But I have also been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, so is THAT the root of my problems, or am I confusing cause and effect?

It's a challenge, that's for sure, and as of the current time, I am taking a prolonged break from the medical merry-go-round. That hasn't helped the pain etc, but it HAS improved my mood. I think that dwelling on my poor health, which is inevitable when every week includes one or two visits to a doctor, was either causing or exacerbating my low mood.

Anti-depressants didn't work for me - and I tried a few - but thankfully that was apparent early on, way before any 'dependence' developed.
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#55
RE: Amitriptyline
Funny that I've not seen this thread in the 3 plus years I've been here. I've been on Amitriptyline/Elavil about 3 years. It was prescribed for the sleepiness side effect by my PCP so I could fall asleep as the severe apnea events caused insomnia. At least that's what was told to me, and some research back up it could be attributed as such.

Coffee

PS I'll begin treatment for some heart condition soon, after red flags on the Holter Monitor, echocardiogram, and nuclear chemical stress test cocktail party recently. I have a family history with heart disease. Several family members with high BP, grandfathers, father, and several uncles had heart attacks. And my father had CHF that was the primary cause of death. My heart condition seems to be an arrhythmia of which the ventricles try to usurp control of the pacing. This cause palpitations and multiple not so fun effects like fatigue and dizziness.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#56
RE: Amitriptyline
I totally agree with your 2 numbered conclusions. they reflect my experience with apnea & pap.

you mentioned antidepressants. people thought me depressed & for a while I wondered about it as well. however, after running through 3 or 4 antidepressants to no positive effect a few years ago, I concluded that my depression-like symptoms were much better explained by sleep deprivation. the symptoms being among the many commodities caused or worsened by apnea.

otoh, when it happens, it's amazing how things begin to improve incrementally as we sleep better. for those that are struggling, I say don't give up. it's been more than 3 years for me to get to the point I can say that.
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